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Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA 2,350 Undergrads 71.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$62,921
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,370
After Aid
Median Earnings
$66,990
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$21,370
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$66,990
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate71.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
80.5%
SAT Avg
1,152
SAT Reading
25th: 51563275th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 47363275th: 628
ACT Composite
25th: 212575th: 27
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$571k
+$174k
+$86k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$494k
+$97k
+$9k
Full Cost$63k/yr
+$344k
-$52k
-$140k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
57
12%
Full Cost$63k/yr
Never
-62%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-24%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-70%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,199
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,616
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$70,355
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,933
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,604
Earnings (5yr)
$59,869
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$23,534
Earnings (5yr)
$105,430
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$238k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$20,981
Earnings (5yr)
$27,811
Lifetime Value Added
-$304k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,740
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,451
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$79,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,541
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,525
Earnings (5yr)
$39,968
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$36,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,969
Earnings (5yr)
$52,603
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,344
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,774
Earnings (5yr)
$58,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,825
Earnings (5yr)
$58,698
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$29,740
Earnings (2yr)
$44,551
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$39,150
Earnings (5yr)
$93,392
Lifetime Value Added
+$343k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$72,057
Earnings (5yr)
$59,999
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$82,634
Earnings (5yr)
$108,525
Lifetime Value Added
+$473k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$34,896
Earnings (5yr)
$74,553
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.